Queens gave their performance of the season to earn a Scottish Cup replay with St Mirren.

Jim McIntyre’s side dominated the chances and possession statistics but spurned the opportunity to knock the visitors out of a major competition for the second time this season.

The Queens boss watched Iain Russell and Michael Paton grab the goals in a 2-2 draw to stop the Saints gaining revenge on their 2-1 League Cup exit at Palmerston in August.

He said: “St Mirren are a good side and I think outwith Celtic – they are the form team in the premier league so we knew it was going to be difficult and we knew they would be desperate to reverse the result in the League Cup so great credit to our boys.

“I thought they were excellent. It was a difficult start after obviously losing an early goal. St Mirren had us rattled but I thought after the first 20 minutes we started to make some passes and look a real threat ourselves.

“The boys confidence grew into the game and I think from there on in we continued that on.

“We scored two great goals – particularly the second. It was a real bit of quality and good play – a great finish after good composure.”

The Doonhamers made three changes for the clash with top flight opposition – the first ever meeting with Danny Lennon’s men in the Scottish Cup.

Derek Lyle, Dan Carmichael and the injured Derek Young made way for Paul Burns, Stephen McKenna and Paton as Jim McIntyre switched back to a 4-5-1 formation.

Queens were the first team to threaten as Gavin Reilly almost got on the end of a hopeful punt upfield.

The hard-working striker just about got beyond Marc McAusland who seemed to land on the ball with his arm before keeper Marion Kello pounced on the loose ball.

Any claims for a penalty though were quickly waved away by referee Kevin Clancy.

The decision was even more significant a minute later when St Mirren went a goal up.

A short corner was poorly defended by the home side allowing the Premiership side to get to the byline and deliver a cross which was headed away from goal by Kevin Holt. The ball landed at the feet of League Cup final hero Conor Newton whose half volley deflected off the leg of Iain Russell and into the bottom of the net.

Unlike in the league – the goal seemed to galvanise the hosts who proceeded to take the game to their more illustrious rivals after Paul McGowan was forced off with injury on 21 minutes replaced by Thomas Reilly.

Four minutes later Queens started a ten minute spell of domination which finally resulted in a thoroughly deserved equaliser.

It was the Doonhamers as the fans have been desperate to see – free flowing and attack minded. Firstly Kevin Holt flicked on for Reilly from a free-kick but the ball bounced just beyond the young striker.

The attacking left back was involved again seconds later when he received the ball down the left. He broke a tackle and cut inside towards goal, drilling a fierce shot straight at Kello.

McIntyre’s men were getting plenty joy down the left and it was Iain Russell who was next to take advantage.

He drifted inside before laying the ball off to Paton who struck his effort well from 20 yards but the shot was well saved by the former Hearts number one.

The home side continued their intense spell of pressure winning a couple of corners and Russell picked up a booking after being over eager in a touchline challenge. It was he who was to spurn Queens’ next chance on 31 minutes.

A rare St Mirren attack was broken up on the edge of the box and Queens countered with ferocious speed. The returning McKenna powered forward against a backtracking Saints defence. He slipped the ball wide for Russell whose low effort was well held by the opposition keeper. It was brilliant play by the Doonhamers much to the delight of the Palmerston faithful.

Paton threatened next with a 20-yard shot following a corner that went inches wide just before Queens’ moment finally arrived.

A 35-minute free kick wide on the left was swung in by Ian McShane. Kello came to collect the inswinging cross but could only knock it a few yards in front of him into the path of Russell whose semi-acrobatic volley struck defender Darren McGregor and then the inside of the post before finally nestling in the back of the net.

It was no more than Queens deserved having dominated the chances and possession statistics in the first half – in fact they were unlucky not to be well ahead.

St Mirren had the final chance of the first half when Scotland U21 starlet Kenny McLean swung in a free kick which Steven Thompson could not direct goalwards and the teams went up the tunnel all square.

After their domination of the first half Queens came out for the second half even more fired up than they were in the first – something that seemed to work against them.

They were lucky not to go behind within a minute of the break when Jason Naismith missed a sitter from a yard out. Former Doonhamer McAusland deflected a McLean corner goalwards with Zander Clark’s save falling to the defender who some how poked it wide.

They threatened again after more over-eager defending left Jim Goodwin with a chance to shoot with a 24-yard free-kick. The veteran midfielder slipped as he made contact and the resulting shot curled just beyond Clark’s left hand upright.

Luck ran out for Queens a minute later though as former Rangers striker Thompson bagged a tap-in to put St Mirren ahead.

The visitors worked the ball well down the left with defenders diving in and allowing Sean Kelly to get to the byline and pick out the run of Thompson who had escaped Chris Higgins in the box.

As in the first half, going behind seemed to spark the hosts into life. Holt spurned a good chance at the back post when he totally missed the ball on 54 minutes before Lyle replaced Reilly and a Mitchell corner was scrambled away.

Queens stuck at it without creating as many chances as the first period and were eventually rewarded. McShane drove forward from midfield on 72 minutes beating Goodwin on the half way line before slipping the ball to Lyle. The striker dinked the ball into the box where Burns and Paton had run beyond him.

A great leap from Burns saw him nod the ball into Paton’s path eight yards out – the former Aberdeen man controlling and side-footing the ball past the advancing Kello.

It was a terrific bit of play by McIntyre’s men who then went looking for a winner.

Burns couldn’t direct a lob on target on 77 minutes and Paton wasted a good chance to test Kello by blasting over after a good move two minutes later.

Paton again wasted a good chance when he was played in by Lyle with seven minutes left. After getting to the byline the forward tried to beat the keeper at the near post with Lyle screaming for a cutback.

It was to prove to be the Doonhamers’ last chance of a winner and, after Clark easily dealt with a late St Mirren header, the game was brought to an end by Clancy with both teams now forced to do it again next Tuesday at St Mirren Park in a cup replay.

Danny Lennon praised the hosts but wasn’t completely happy with his own team’s efforts.

He said: “It was a proper cup-tie. I’m only disappointed we didn’t hold our leads a little longer against a Queens side that played to a very high tempo. The game could have gone either way.”

Talking of the replay Queens boss McIntyre added: “We’ve got a chance. It’s at their home ground so it’s up to us to go and put on a performance. It will be difficult again they are a Premier League side and we know we’ll need everyone playing at their maximum to get a result and we’ll be striving to do that.